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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26095243">Azure and Crimson</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolves_and_starlight/pseuds/wolves_and_starlight'>wolves_and_starlight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>#badwriter, Agni Kai (Avatar), All mistakes are my own, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Azula - Freeform, Azula’s Firebending, Badass Katara (Avatar), Bending (Avatar), Caldera, Crazy Azula (Avatar), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fire, Fire Lord Azula (kinda?), Firebending &amp; Firebenders, Flameo, Honour, How Do I Tag, Hurt, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Hurt/Comfort, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I think., I try, I wish I was a firebender, If You Only Read One Fic Of Mine, Implied Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Katara tries to heal zuko, Katara’s Healing, MUST PROTECC, Major Character Injury, Major Character Undeath, Maybe - Freeform, Move those little legs Katara!, Non-Canonical Character Death, Not Beta Read, Not Really Character Death, Oneshot, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai is a bad dad, POV Zuko (Avatar), Possible Hurt/Comfort, Post-The Last Agni Kai (Avatar), The Last Agni Kai (Avatar), Waterbending, Waterbending &amp; Waterbenders, Whump, Zuko - Freeform, Zuko doesn’t deserve this, Zuko is baby, Zuko is the character death (or is he?), Zuko whump, Zuko's Scar (Avatar), Zuko’s Firebending, Zutara, angst and hurt, derp, enjoy, i felt bad writing this, i honestly don’t know why I wrote this but here we are, i might add a happy ending, i probs should, i usually write to music, if this does well I might add a alternate ending, im a bad writer so hang in with me, im sorry, im sorry i wrote this, my boi zuzu has been through enough, oh well, seriously</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:49:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,961</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26095243</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolves_and_starlight/pseuds/wolves_and_starlight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Slightly alternate ending to the Final Agni Kai, where Zuko is badly injured.</p><p>Or</p><p>All of the Zutara ;o;</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>129</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. You Have To Fall Into The Dark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Helloooo my fellow ATLA nerds! I don’t know why I wrote this, but enjoy it anyway :) Also let me know how it was bc this is my first ATLA fic aaaaand I’m kinda a Bad Writer™️ Anywho! Onwards to reading!<br/>Edit, Aug 30: Okay the response for this has so awesome ty ty ty sm everyone ;v;<br/>And since so many people wanted my boi to be saved I’m making another chapter (its going be wayyyy longer than this one so I’m sowwy lol).</p><p>Edit, Sept 12: I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for 1000 hits!!!!! Y’all are so amazing oml &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">When Zuko redirected lightning for the first time, it was terrifying. To have that much power course through your body knowing that the smallest mistake could end you right then and there. To feel the electricity running through your veins, hear the static current roaring in your ears, seeing the look of terror on your opponent’s features as you harness that raw power against them. It was like taming a dragon.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">It was exhilarating.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">The second time he was forced to use this ability was not.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Azula screamed and laughed like a madman when the lightning hit him square in the chest, the force like a dozen freight trains exploding into him. Volts of pure energy raced in and out of his bones, his body seized as endless waves of electricity rocked through him. It felt like ice and lava in his blood, boiling and freezing all at once. Every nerve was on fire, every molecule felt like it was melting. Zuko hit the ground hard. An agonized scream was locked in his throat while the currents had their way with him. He could barely breath, his lungs had stalled from the surge and stopped working properly. He was paralyzed. What little he could see through his agonized mask was quickly darkening around the edges, growing unfocused and cold. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3"><span class="s2">Somewhere beyond his fading consciousness, a voice screamed his name. Zuko was confused, why would someone call for </span> <span class="s3">him? </span> <span class="s2"> Him, of all people?</span></p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3"><span class="s2">His body jumped and spasmed with each surge of energy that his heartbeat brought. His jaw clenched after each wave, his face was a mask of honest torture. He had thought that his father’s fire on his skin was the most painful thing he’d ever experienced, but this blew it completely out of the water. That was nothing compared to this. After what felt like years, the currents started to slowly fade, releasing him from their vice. His nerves burned more each second that passed, the pain sharpening more if that were even possible. </span> <span class="s3"><em>Make it stop,</em> </span> <span class="s2">he silently begged, tears escaping from his unfocused golden eyes, </span> <span class="s3"><em>Agni, please make it stop</em>. </span></p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Azure flames danced and arched through the sky above him, ravaging the structures nearby. Wood creaked and snapped as fire licked at their sides, charring the once vibrant red paint. Ash fell like mock snow in the courtyard, dusting the Fire Prince’s hair and lashes; sticking to the growing bloom of crimson on his chest. Something exploded, blowing wood and tile sky high. Rubble came crashing down everywhere, flaming logs drooping on every side, the sudden flash of heat was enough to burn even a Firebender. But he wasn’t aware of any of it. The dark was calling to him, beckoning him. He wanted to go with it; to take it’s hand and follow it into oblivion. There was no pain in the dark. No one to disappoint. No one he could hurt anymore ...</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3"><span class="s2">The pain was fading. Numbness crept over him, nipping at his mind like a badger-wolf stalking it’s prey. He heard ... was that laughing? Agni, even the spirits wanted him dead it seemed</span><span class="s3">. </span> <span class="s2">But ... it didn’t really sound like laughter. It was too broken, too panicked. It sounded familiar ... like an almost forgotten childhood memory.</span></p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">He could feel his consciousness ebbing away. There was no pain now, just ... numb. The dark almost had him. Would they hold a vigil for him, so his spirit wouldn’t get lost in the night? Would they mourn him, the traitor Prince? Would they bury him with his ancestors in The Garden?</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2"> He hoped so.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Someone was calling for him, screaming his name. That voice ... he knew that voice ...</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">The dark was claiming him. He didn’t mind, though. It was peaceful and safe here.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">A person in blue appeared in what remained of his sight, running towards him, calling out to him, blurred almost beyond recognition. He wanted to call back to her. He felt a small part of him rebel against the creeping cold that was washing through his mind. But he was tired, so tired. Tired of fighting. Of losing loved ones. Of losing himself.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3"><em><span class="s3">Come now, and be free, </span></em> <span class="s2">the dark purred. </span><em>Let go. You don’t have to feel anything now, isn’t that what you want? </em><br/>
<br/>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Zuko felt weightless. He heard his name being called a million miles away<em>.</em> He tried to reach towards the noise, his hand barely even twitching.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Darkness was his sight now. Emptiness his hearing. Cold his touch.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">The last thing to flicker through his mind was how much he wanted to tell her I love you </span>
  <span class="s3"><em>.</em>..</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">The dark claimed his fire at last, blowing away the once blazing inferno with a small gust of chilled air.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">%%%</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks so much for reading!!! Ahhhh y’all are awesome. Please let me know what you think so I can improve my writing skillzz ;v;<br/>Anyway! Another chapterrrr is a comin! It’s going to be a good bit longer bc this was only supposed to be a one-shot buuuuuuuuutttt whatevs it’s worth it :p (And I cant for the life of me seem to condense it, there’s too many deets that have to be squished in there lol)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. To See The Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello lovely readers! I just want to say a quick THANK YOU for all the support and hits, they mean so much to me and they’re what keep me going ;v;<br/>Anyway!!! Here’s the second chapterrrrr! I really struggled writing but hopefully it’s okay hah. And I just realized that the first chapter is kinda like the prologue bc this one is a good bit longer but who cares! Please tell me what you think at the end bc I really want to know. Okay I need to stop rambling and let you read the story already :p Hope you enjoy!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Nothing.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That’s the only word to describe it. The complete lack of anything. A void of absolute darkness. The dark was so thick it felt hard to breathe- if you can at all when you’re dead. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unless- </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A small flame sparked to life in the empty. It’s meagre light illuminating the space like a signal flare; struggling to stay alive. It was so small and fragile you would barely know it’s there. The shadow that hung around it was melting away, retreating back into the dark from where it came. It’s cold breath no longer stifling the little spark, suffocating it. It kept growing; stronger, brighter.<br/><br/></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Resilient, like it’s owner.</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sound started to return; muffled, like he was submerged underwater. He could hear a familiar voice cut through his fog, but only whispers of what it was saying.</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“... come bac- </span>
  <span class="s2">please</span>
  <span class="s1">-Zuko ... -ove you ... stay with me- don’t you dare-“</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He could feel something. Wasn’t death supposed to be ... death? You’re not supposed to be able to feel </span>
  <span class="s2">anything.</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It was a warmth. He could feel it pooling on his stomach (can warmth pool</span>
  <span class="s2">?</span>
  <span class="s1">). It was like sunshine playing on your face on an summer’s day. It grew, the feeling spreading through his frozen body. It felt like he was on the opposite end of a telescope; everything, even sense, seemed </span>
  <span class="s2">so </span>
  <span class="s1">far away.</span>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The- whatever it was- was creeping towards his heart now. It wound around the still muscle, gently prodding it back to life. The warmth intensified, and he heard a voice murmur something nearby. Not the sweet one from earlier. This one was cold. Dark, damp, and raspy, like wind through a graveyard. It whispered to him, a echo fading into the night but still distinguishable even to him.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s2">Goodbye, for now ...</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko’s eyes snapped open, and he gasped for air like a drowned man, his lungs aching for the precious air that they couldn’t take in enough of; his back arching against the ground. Katara yelped “Zuko!” at his sudden movement, the glowing water in her hands splashing to the ground, but she quickly regained herself. She quickly, and gently, slid her arm under his head and wrapped the other around his chest, hugging him close and trying to still his movements.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She whispered to him trying to calm him down, tears cutting trails through the soot on her face. “Hey, it’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re okay, I promise” she murmured in his ear, wiping away a thin trail of blood from the corner of his mouth. Her fingers were scarlet as she started to card them through his hair, something his mother used to do whenever he had nightmares.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He registered that she was holding him and he curled into her touch. He pulled at her arms with his own weak grasp, holding on like she was the only thing keeping him alive. Which was partially true. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His nerves were slowly coming back online, and what little he could feel was</span>
  <span class="s2"> too much.</span>
  <span class="s1"> Every nerve felt flayed and beaten into submission. His chest hurt. His arms hurt. His legs hurt. Agni, even his brain </span>
  <span class="s2">hurt.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He opened his mouth to speak but only made a low pained groan. His vocal cords felt fried in his throat. Katara bent more water from her flask and pressed her hand to his chest. The now familiar warmth spread and the glass shards in his lungs dulled and faded. He tried again and managed to get something that sounded vaguely human.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thank ... you” he rasped, meeting her pained gaze.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She smiled despite herself. A laugh bubbled through her choked up voice, “I should be thanking you Zuko.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Her eyes trailed over the burnt and bloody cloth under her glowing hand, and the way his muscles still jumped slightly; like residual electricity was trying to get free.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Her face fell, anger and pain flickering in her eyes. She internalized the accompanying fear. “Don’t ever do that again” she snapped weakly, blinking back a new rush of tears.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The glare in Zuko’s eyes almost hurt to meet. Almost. He swallowed hard and croaked “I had too.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His voice and laboured breath hurt to hear. This was her fault. He literally </span>
  <span class="s2">died </span>
  <span class="s1">because of her. She shook her head, voice cracking as she started “You should have let her-“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko interrupted, seemingly reading her mind. “No. No, don’t do that. Do not This,” he gestured to himself, “was not your fault. I was not going to just stand there and watch you die.” They were both crying now. “I couldn’t. I wasn’t going to lose you-“</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His next words were cut off by Katara’s lips on his.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">For a second all he can register is shock. Katara. Kissing. </span>
  <span class="s2">Him?</span>
  <span class="s1"> He recovers himself in less than a millisecond and is kissing her back. It felt like fireworks were exploding inside them both. They had wanted to do this for so long, but fear held them back before. But after what just happened neither of them could wait. Katara’s hands cup Zuko’s face, her lips cool against his. He brought his own hand to her cheek, gently rubbing his thumb against her skin. Their moment felt like it lasted for years, but in reality was only a few minutes. When they finally broke apart they pressed their foreheads together, just taking in each other’s presence. A silent conversation happened between Water and Firebender. One full of deep seated and previously unrequited love, pain, and joy.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko was the first to break the silence. “I love you. I have for a long time, but I think you knew that,” he said a hint of a smile in his voice.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’ve known since the crystal caves, you idiot. I love you too, so much” she whispered back, with a noise somewhere between a laugh and a sob.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">They kissed again, shorter this time but nonetheless meaningful.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Katara helped Zuko to his feet. Zuko masked the flaring pain from his injuries as he stood, but she could see right through him. He was swaying hard but she was there to support him, right there beside him. And she would always be. She guided the Firebender to the palace gates before they both slid to the ground. Exhaustion was finally taking its hold on them. They sat on the stones there as the comet disappeared from the sky, Katara pressing another glowing to hand to Zuko’s wounds. The smell of smoke hung heavily in the air and the sound of fire crackled somewhere nearby. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The sun was setting, bathing the Caldera in red and orange with the nights first stars peeking through the coming dark. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The war was over. Who would have thought that it was a group of teenagers that could end the 100 Years War. It was almost unbelievable. All their work, their losses, their pain, had finally come to an end.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It wasn’t long before the moon rose. In her cool silver light one could see two figures, arms tightly wrapped around each other, asleep against the palace gate.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ahhhhhh how was that??? The kiss scenes was HARD bc I’ve never written a scene like that but I think I did okay? Maybe? Idk lolol. But y’all got the very wanted Zutara scene and my baby boi got saved! Whooo! Thank you so much all for reading and commenting and leaving kudos, they seriously help me write better and build up my writing confidence &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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